Athens
As the capital of Greece, and a busy city, hotel prices can be expensive in summer,
but, even around the Acropolis, quite reasonable in Winter; and the weather can be good too!
Shops range from international stores to markets and small, family owned, shops. Florists
and floristry stalls, jewellers and street traders, are found throughout the city; and the
lively atmosphere is balanced by the peace of the Botanical Garden and Museums.
Some streets are lined with orange trees and there are attractive stepped paths around
Likabetos and the Acropolis, many decorated with Bougenvillia. Likabetos Hill,
with its chapel on top, is lovely at sunset when you can look across to the Acropolis
and see its real majesty.
A number of small chapels and churches are
tucked under large office or hotel blocks - a quirky but practical solution for
preserving them which I've not seen in other places.
With such important ancient sites close by, new building projects have to bow to history.
From 1999 to 2004 the city centre was refurbished and a new airport, sports facilities, and plazas constructed throughout the city. Upgraded hotels, better pavements and less haphazard parking are two of the benefits, but the old Athens, with it's fascinating hardware shops, still lurks not too far away.
Crumbling buildings give an insight
into older construction and decoration and remind us that this is an earthquake zone
and there are now strict building regulations.
Between the airport and Athens centre, Out of town superstores and hotels are being built. Many of these are international and if you like familiarity you will feel reassurance. But it would be a shame if Athens lost its local, family run businesses.